Cork public warned to be on the lookout for moths this spring

CORK accounted for the second-highest number of callouts for moths in the last year which has led a leading pest control provider to warn the public to be on the lookout for moths at this time of year.

The top three counties which accounted for the most moth callouts from Rentokil for the past 12 months were: Dublin, which accounted for 70% of moth callouts, Cork (21%) and Donegal (6%).

Rentokil is advising homeowners and businesses to start their spring cleaning early to avoid damage to valued clothing, fabrics and products.

The spring months are when scavenger moths begin breeding and the insects become more active in this period.

Richard Faulkner, advanced technical field consultant with Rentokil said: “There are several steps that people can take to guard against the presence of moths. By following this advice, you can help to avoid moths’ infestations in your home or business.

“Always ensure that clothes are clean before storing them as soiled and dirty clothes are more likely to attract moths. Ensure that clothes which are stored for long periods of time, such as suits and wedding dresses, are in appropriate sealed bags or suitcases.

“Use fly screens or keep curtains drawn at night to prevent moths from entering your home, clean and vacuum regularly to remove moth eggs before they hatch. This is particularly important in times of the year with increased moth activity ,” he added.

Textile moths are most likely to be found in spare bedrooms, under mattresses, infrequently used wardrobes and attics. As moth larvae feed on the fabric they cause significant damage to clothes, blankets, carpets, curtains and upholstery.

The presence of moths can become very costly for home or business owners, both financially and emotionally as nobody wants to find holes in a quilt handed down from a beloved grandparent or in a carefully stored wedding dress.

There are four commonly found species of moth in Ireland each with a preference for different textiles, and each varying in the damage that they cause to materials.

The common clothes moth causes irregular-shaped holes in textiles, the brown house moth larvae is attracted to animal-based materials such as feathers and leather.

The case-bearing clothes moth larvae causes smaller and more regularly shaped holes in textiles while the white-shouldered house moth larvae are less damaging to textiles as they scavenge on a wide range of food.